59
Metascore
18 reviews · Provided by Metacritic.com
- 80VarietyDavid StrattonVarietyDavid StrattonA terrifically entertaining romantic comedy, Better Than Chocolate tackles the age-old theme of the universal need for love with exuberance and gusto.
- 75San Francisco ChroniclePeter StackSan Francisco ChroniclePeter StackBetter Than Chocolate is smart, funny adult entertainment -- the sex scenes are bold and convincing -- with a love story that is touching and surprisingly cheerful.
- 75Boston GlobeBoston GlobeA semisweet nugget, an insinuating, low-budget little charmer. [27 Aug 1999, p.E4]
- 70The New York TimesStephen HoldenThe New York TimesStephen HoldenFor all the real problems faced by its characters, Better Than Chocolate is finally a comic rhapsody to romantic love, the possibility of happily ever after within an all-accepting subculture.
- 63Chicago TribuneJohn PetrakisChicago TribuneJohn PetrakisDespite its familiar trappings, Better Than Chocolate turns out to be quite enjoyable, thanks to some very engaging acting, a few involving subplots and an energy that must be credited to director Anne Wheeler. [27 Aug 1999, p.I]
- 50Austin ChronicleRussell SmithAustin ChronicleRussell SmithFor all its flaws, Better Than Chocolate is a fair enough entertainment value -- certainly no less meritorious overall than, say, Runaway Bride. But, like many other films that have boasted both a high likability quotient and a positive social message, it seems to be getting a bit more credit than it really deserves. And as far as I'm concerned it's no favor to allow a filmmaker of Anne Wheeler's obvious gifts to operate so far below peak efficiency.
- 50ReelViewsJames BerardinelliReelViewsJames BerardinelliWheeler is extremely secure in filming the sex scenes - they are inarguably erotic - but she has trouble with serious drama. Overall, that makes Better Than Chocolate a mixed bag with a wavering focus. In many ways, it's like the majority of heterosexual romances -- not unpleasant or unwatchable, but nothing special.
- 50Washington PostRita KempleyWashington PostRita KempleyYou'd think indie filmmakers would have learned by now that people tend to put on a sober face when addressed from the pulpit.
- 42The A.V. ClubScott TobiasThe A.V. ClubScott TobiasThe problems of coming out, intolerance, safe sex, and censorship are ticked off like a checklist in Better Than Chocolate, a well-meaning Canadian slice-of-life comedy that remains firmly planted in the creative rut currently plaguing gay cinema.